An effort could be underway in Springfield over the next few days that would hinder small businesses’ ability to recover from “incredible economic damage,” a small business group said.

On Friday, the Illinois House returned to Springfield for the first time since May at an alternative location because of COVID-19 concerns. They’ll be in session through Wednesday to finish up the 101st General Assembly. The Senate set to come into order to finish out this term starting this weekend.

Illinois and federal authorities are teaming up to address what so far are more than 350,000 fraudulent unemployment aid claims filed with the state amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an unusual action, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Chicago office of the FBI said they’re establishing a joint task force on unemployment insurance fraud, one that for the first time will allow them to deploy resources “on a large scale.”

Illinois legislators are returning to Springfield Friday for the first time since May, facing an unprecedented campaign for Illinois House Speaker and an ambitious call for criminal justice and education reforms from the legislative Black Caucus.

Leaders canceled the majority of the legislative session days in 2020 due to high COVID-19 cases in the state. They’re now returning to the Capitol with protocols in place to allow for social distancing and with added security, just days before the winners of November’s election are sworn in and the start of a new General Assembly.

A former Chicago Public Schools principal turned a blind eye as an employee at his school was paid $121,893 over two years despite not showing up to work and living in California.

The computer technician was aided in the scheme by a school clerk who continued to clock her into work at a CPS elementary school with the “apparent approval” of the principal, according to the district’s top watchdog.